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Results from the 2011–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 16.9% of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2–19 years are obese, and another 14.9% are overweight.

Body mass index (BMI), expressed as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2), is commonly used to classify obesity among adults and is also recommended for use with children and adolescents. Cutoff criteria are based on the sex-specific BMI-for-age 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States. Based on current recommendations of expert committees, children and adolescents with BMI values at or above the 95th percentile of the growth charts are categorized as obese. This differs from previous years in which children and adolescents above this cutoff were labeled overweight. This change in terminology reflects the labels used by organizations such as the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics. For more information, see Ogden and Flegal, Changes in Terminology for Childhood Overweight and Obesity [PDF – 192 KB].

Table 1 shows the prevalence of overweight and obesity among youth aged 2–19 between 1971–1974 and 2011–2012. The figure shows trends in obesity in the same age group since 1971–1974, by sex.

Estimates of the prevalence of childhood obesity during the 1960s are available for certain age groups. Table 2 shows the prevalence of obesity among those aged 2–5, 6–11, and 12–19 since 1963–1965, by sex and age.

Table 3 shows the prevalence of obesity by race and Hispanic origin among youth aged 2–19 since 1988–1994.

Although BMI is widely used as a measure of body fat, at a given BMI level body fat may vary by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin. In particular, research suggests that Asian persons may have more body fat than white persons, especially at lower BMIs, and that health risks may begin at a lower BMI among Asian persons compared with others.

NHANES, conducted by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), is a stratified, multistage probability sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. A household interview and a physical examination are conducted for each survey participant. During the physical examination, conducted in a mobile examination center, height and weight are measured as part of a more comprehensive set of body measurements. These measurements are taken by trained health technicians, using standardized measuring procedures and equipment. Observations for persons missing a valid height or weight measurement and for pregnant females were not included in the data analysis.

Tables

Table 1a. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years: United States, selected years 1971–1974 through 2011–2012

Survey period

Sample (n)

Overweight

Obese

Percent (standard error)

1971–1974

7,041

10.2 (0.6)

5.2 (0.3)

1976–1980

7,351

9.2 (0.4)

5.5 (0.4)

1988–1994

10,777

13.0 (0.7)

10.0 (0.5)

1999–2000

4,039

14.2 (0.9)

13.9 (0.9)

2001–2002

4,261

14.6 (0.6)

15.4 (0.9)

2003–2004

3,961

16.5 (0.8)

17.1 (1.3)

2005–2006

4,207

14.6 (0.9)

15.4 (1.4)

2007–2008

3,249

14.8 (0.7)

16.8 (1.3)

2009–2010

3,408

14.9 (0.8)

16.9 (0.7)

2011–2012

3,355

14.9 (0.9)

16.9 (1.0)

NOTES: Excludes pregnant females. Overweight is body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 85th and less than the 95th percentiles from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts. Obesity is BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 1b. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys aged 2–19 years: United States, selected years 1971–1974 through 2011–2012

Survey period

Overweight

Obese

Percent (standard error)

1971–1974

10.3 (0.8)

5.3 (0.5)

1976–1980

9.4 (0.6)

5.4 (0.4)

1988–1994

12.6 (0.8)

10.2 (0.7)

1999–2000

15.0 (1.9)

14.0 (1.2)

2001–2002

14.2 (0.7)

16.4 (1.0)

2003–2004

16.6 (1.0)

18.2 (1.5)

2005–2006

14.7 (1.2)

15.9 (1.5)

2007–2008

14.3 (0.7)

17.7 (1.4)

2009–2010

14.4 (1.0)

18.6 (1.1)

2011–2012

15.4 (1.4)

16.7 (1.4)

NOTE: Overweight is body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 85th and less than the 95th percentiles from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts. Obesity is BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 1c. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among girls aged 2–19 years: United States, selected years 1971–1974 through 2011–2012

Survey period

Overweight

Obese

Percent (standard error)

1971–1974

10.1 (0.8)

5.1 (0.4)

1976–1980

9.0 (0.5)

5.7 (0.6)

1988–1994

13.4 (0.9)

9.8 (0.8)

1999–2000

13.4 (0.8)

13.8 (1.1)

2001–2002

15.0 (0.9)

14.3 (1.3)

2003–2004

16.3 (0.9)

16.0 (1.4)

2005–2006

14.6 (1.0)

14.9 (1.6)

2007–2008

15.4 (1.5)

15.9 (1.5)

2009–2010

15.4 (0.9)

15.0 (0.8)

2011–2012

14.5 (1.5)

17.2 (1.2)

NOTE: Excludes pregnant females. Overweight is body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 85th and less than the 95th percentiles from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts. Obesity is BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 2a. Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years, by age: United States, selected years 1963–1965 through 2011–2012

Survey period

2–5 years

6–11 years

12–19 years

Percent (standard error)

1963–1965/
1966–19701

—

4.2 (0.4)

4.6 (0.3)

1971–1974

5.0 (0.6)

4.0 (0.5)

6.1 (0.6)

1976–1980

5.0 (0.6)

6.5 (0.6)

5.0 (0.5)

1988–1994

7.2 (0.7)

11.3 (1.0)

10.5 (0.9)

1999–2000

10.3 (1.7)

15.1 (1.4)

14.8 (0.9)

2001–2002

10.6 (1.8)

16.2 (1.6)

16.7 (1.1)

2003–2004

13.9 (1.6)

18.8 (1.3)

17.4 (1.7)

2005–2006

10.7 (1.1)

15.1 (2.1)

17.8 (1.8)

2007–2008

10.1 (1.2)

19.6 (1.2)

18.1 (1.7)

2009–2010

12.1 (1.2)

18.0 (0.8)

18.4 (1.3)

2011–2012

8.4 (1.3)

17.7 (1.6)

20.5 (1.7)

— Data not available. Children aged 2–5 were not included in the surveys undertaken in the 1960s.

1 Data for 1963–1965 are for children aged 6–11; data for 1966–1970 are for adolescents aged 12–17 (not 12–19).

NOTES: Excludes pregnant females starting with 1971–1974. Pregnancy status not available for 1963–1965 and 1966–1970. Obesity is body mass index greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 2b. Prevalence of obesity among boys aged 2–19 years, by age: United States, selected years 1963–1965 through 2011–2012

Survey period

2–5 years

6–11 years

12–19 years

Percent (standard error)

1963–1965/
1966–19701

—

4.0 (0.4)

4.5 (0.4)

1971–1974

5.0 (0.9)

4.3 (0.8)

6.0 (0.8)

1976–1980

4.6 (0.6)

6.7 (0.8)

4.8 (0.5)

1988–1994

6.2 (0.8)

11.6 (1.3)

11.3 (1.3)

1999–2000

9.5 (2.3)

15.8 (1.8)

14.8 (1.3)

2001–2002

10.7 (2.4)

17.5 (1.9)

17.6 (1.3)

2003–2004

15.1 (1.7)

19.9 (2.0)

18.2 (1.9)

2005–2006

10.4 (1.7)

16.2 (2.5)

18.2 (2.4)

2007–2008

9.3 (1.5)

21.2 (1.6)

19.3 (2.2)

2009–2010

14.4 (1.8)

20.1 (1.0)

19.6 (2.3)

2011–2012

9.5 (1.9)

16.4 (1.8)

20.3 (2.4)

— Data not available. Children aged 2–5 were not included in the surveys undertaken in the 1960s.

1 Data for 1963–1965 are for children aged 6–11; data for 1966–1970 are for adolescents aged 12–17 (not 12–19).

NOTE: Obesity is body mass index greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 2c. Prevalence of obesity among girls aged 2–19 years, by age: United States, selected years 1963–1965 through 2011–2012

Survey period

2–5 years

6–11 years

12–19 years

Percent (standard error)

1963–1965/
1966–19701

—

4.5 (0.6)

4.7 (0.3)

1971–1974

4.9 (0.8)

3.6 (0.6)

6.2 (0.8)

1976–1980

5.4 (1.0)

6.4 (1.0)

5.3 (0.8)

1988–1994

8.2 (1.1)

11.0 (1.4)

9.7 (1.1)

1999–2000

11.2 (2.5)

14.3 (2.1)

14.8 (1.1)

2001–2002

10.5 (1.8)

14.8 (2.3)

15.7 (1.9)

2003–2004

12.7 (2.5)

17.6 (1.3)

16.4 (2.3)

2005–2006

11.0 (1.2)

14.1 (2.4)

17.3 (2.1)

2007–2008

10.9 (2.1)

18.0 (2.1)

16.8 (2.0)

2009–2010

9.6 (1.7)

15.7 (1.0)

17.1 (1.3)

2011–2012

7.2 (2.1)

19.1 (1.7)

20.7 (2.0)

— Data not available. Children aged 2–5 were not included in the surveys undertaken in the 1960s.

1 Data for 1963–1965 are for children aged 6–11; data for 1966–1970 are for adolescents aged 12–17 (not 12–19).

NOTES: Excludes pregnant females starting with 1971–1974. Pregnancy status not available for 1963–1965 and 1966–1970. Obesity is body mass index greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 3a. Prevalence of obesity among boys aged 2–19 years, by race and ethnicity: United States, selected years 1988–1994 through 2011–2012

Survey period

Non-Hispanic white

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic Asian

Hispanic

Mexican American

Percent (standard error)

1988–1994

9.7 (1.1)

10.6 (0.8)

—

—

14.8 (1.4)

1999–2000

10.9 (1.5)

16.4 (1.2)

—

—

23.5 (1.5)

2001–2002

15.0 (1.5)

15.5 (1.3)

—

—

22.0 (1.3)

2003–2004

17.8 (2.2)

16.4 (1.5)

—

—

22.0 (1.6)

2005–2006

13.4 (1.9)

18.3 (1.3)

—

—

24.3 (2.7)

2007–2008

15.6 (1.9)

17.3 (2.2)

—

24.5 (1.7)

24.9 (2.3)

2009–2010

16.1 (1.8)

24.3 (2.8)

—

23.4 (1.4)

24.0 (1.7)

2011–2012

12.6 (2.4)

19.9 (1.1)

11.5 (1.6)

24.1 (1.4)

24.2 (1.5)

— Data not available.

NOTE: Obesity is body mass index greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Table 3b. Prevalence of obesity among girls aged 2–19 years, by race and ethnicity: United States, selected years 1988–1994 through 2011–2012

Survey period

Non-Hispanic white

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic Asian

Hispanic

Mexican American

Percent (standard error)

1988–1994

8.6 (1.1)

14.5 (1.1)

—

—

13.8 (1.9)

1999–2000

11.1 (1.8)

21.4 (1.4)

—

—

16.8 (1.9)

2001–2002

12.7 (1.9)

19.5 (1.3)

—

—

17.0 (1.9)

2003–2004

14.9 (1.9)

23.8 (1.4)

—

—

16.1 (2.3)

2005–2006

12.2 (2.2)

24.4 (2.2)

—

—

20.6 (1.6)

2007–2008

14.9 (2.5)

22.8 (2.4)

—

17.3 (1.7)

16.6 (2.5)

2009–2010

11.7 (1.1)

24.3 (2.6)

—

18.9 (1.8)

18.2 (2.5)

2011–2012

15.6 (2.1)

20.5 (3.1)

*5.6 (2.4)

20.6 (1.5)

21.1 (1.7)

— Data not available.

* Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 40% and should be used with caution because it does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

NOTES: Excludes pregnant females. Obesity is body mass index greater than or equal to the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile from the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.